About Wheeling

Inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years, the area now known as Wheeling, West Virginia was claimed by the French in 1749 and surveyd for the British in 1751 and 1770. Wheeling is the seat of Ohio County and was the first capital of West Virginia.

Situated along the Ohio River amid the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Wheeling contains a rich history with many notable events. In 1777, during an attack on Fort Henry, Major Samuel McColloch made a 300-foot leap, now called McColloch’s Leap, down Wheeling Hill atop horseback and survived. In 1782, Betty Zane assisted in saving Fort Henry from a siege by securing additional ammunition. In 1861, the West Virginia Independence Hall held the Wheeling Convention, two meetings that resulted in 26 of Virginia’s northern and western counties voting to secede from Virginia, join the Union, and create West Virginia.

By the late 19th century, Wheeling’s alignment on major transportation routes such as the B&O Railroad and the National Road led it to become a manufacturing center. Today, Wheeling’s major industries have shifted to feature healthcare, law and legal services, education, energy, entertainment and tourism. Wheeling is roughly 45 miles from Pittsburgh and contains the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport for public use.

Some major attractions in Wheeling include downtown Wheeling’s Victorian main street, with the Eckhart House offering tea time, parlor teas, and tours, the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, the Victoria Vaudeville Theatre, the Prabhupada's Palace of Gold or “America’s Taj Mahal,” and a multitude of museums, from Fostoria Glass Museum to the Marx Toy Museum. Shopping destinations include the Centre Market and the Artisan Center. Various festivals are held throughout the year, such as the Celtic Celebration, SpringFest, Elizabethtown Festival, African-American Jubilee, Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival, and more.

Wheeling Park offers an outdoor aviary, a swimming pool, boating, pedal boats, playground, miniature golf, ice skating, tennis, and soccer. Similarly well-equipped, the nearby Oglebay Park contains its own shopping area and offers miniature golf and golfing, pedal boats, swimming, tennis, horseback riding, fishing, skiing and snowboarding, walking trails, floral gardens, museums, a zoo and planetarium, and even a resort. In 2007, Wheeling opened the state’s first concrete skateboard park, which was designed by Grindline, a world-renowned skate park builder.

Wheeling contains more Victorian architecture than other cities in the county and maintains it through extensive restorations. Other types of homes found in Wheeling are single-family homes, condominiums, Georgians, Cape Cods, and more.

Looking for homes for sale in Wheeling? Our Weirton real estate office is knowledgeable about the area, and ready to help.